Downtown Niigata

That low flying was a strain, time to sit back, relax and let the autopilot do the work as I set course towards Sand Point

Looking over towards Breiðavík Beach

Checking out the airport for any problems prior to pattern entry. All looks good - especially that runway. A little too good

The city of Morioka sprawling out in front of Mount Iwate

The Morioka Racecourse

Approaching Mount Hayachine

Back on compass heading as my next mountain is not quite as prominent

Iwate Hanamaki Airport

Winter still holds the Ōu Mountains in its grip

Getting my first good look at Shinyama, which I will visit on the next leg, as I clear over the top of Mt. Yakeishi

Another look at the distant and massive Shinyama, about 50 miles away

Can't tell if those clouds are right on the other side of Mt. Kurikoma so I have to descend now towards come clear air to the left

Air is clear on the other side of Mt. Kurikoma so I don't have to divert too far off course as I continue to descend

Turning south over lakes Uchinuma, Izunuma and Naganuma to head for Sendai

The metropolitan center of Sendai with the Miyaginohara Sports Park clearly visible

Climbing out from Sendai

Touching down at Yamagata

Coming in hot! No need for any kind of drawn-out approach when the runway is this big and long

Passing back over Scatsta

An observatory which I think is actually supposed to be a radome. Those radio towers are correct though as I head back south over Unst

Banking over Asklund to head towards Trondheim

Over the threshold - still crabbing

Kicked straight and a nice solid touchdown, no dancing on two wheels!

Taxiing in, looking in the direction I'll be headed in next time

Climbing through the clouds towards the Hidaka Mountains west of Obihiro

Looking out over the Nipesotsu-Maruyama Volcanic Group

Skimming through the tops of the clouds looking back at Mount Oputateshike to the far right and Mount Biei just hidden there in the clouds

Looking back south down the Teshio River valley

Lake Hlíðarvatn

The town of Hella

Cruising low over some of the most pristine wilderness in the Bahamas to be found on Andros Island

Doing some soaring - winds out of the west are light but the updrafts still can have a large effect on this light airplane - climbing 1,000fpm while still traveling over 90kts?? That's not me pulling back on the stick!

Andrew and I holding short at KBML as an aircraft had just taxied *through me* to take off. How rude!

Cruising at FL295 atop the overcast

Lovely day for it over Glencoe Muni (KGYL) in Minnesota as we get prepped for departure

Lake Shetek offers a good VFR waypoint to let me know I am on track, although am also tuned to a VOR

Yikes!! Can we even see to make it to our destination? Well Andrew has his fancy-schmancy digital map display to guide him to the airport but I am depending on being able to see the Interstate, which runs right past the airfield

Back in the cockpit, weather is still stormy overhead but expected to improve as we continue westward

Lovely river valleys as I approach the Cheyenne River, the larger one in the distance

The sun visor also allowed me to see Andrew's lights, which were otherwise lost in the glare

Made it just as the sun disappeared behind the hills

Keeping an eye out for distinctive ground features, just past the Pamunkey River I noticed this oval track, which was actually noted on the VFR charts and further confirmed me to be on course

Okay so landing on the runway after all, setting up for final approach

Looking back towards Halifax as I pass over the end of Cobequid Bay

Airliner on short final

No issues during climb, approaching cruise altitude with one last look back at the eastern islands of American Samoa

Despite the slow approach speed I managed to control my flare and a nice 5kts headwind let me make a very soft landing at 1.13G. Reverse thrusters were successfully engaged this time

Got a little uncoordinated on landing with a wheel tipping up - despite the winds being mostly head-on they were strong enough to make things challenging still. Got all three wheels down without any real trouble tho

Once again searching out the airport in the haze cause I was too annoyed to think to tune a VOR